Pakistan Minister warns militants

After bomb blasts on two successive days, Federal Minister for Interior, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday issued a stern warning to militants saying that while the government was willing to talk to groups who believed in peace and dialogue, let there also be no doubt that it will fight those who did not believe in peace and want to unleash bloodshed in Pakistan.

Speaking during a visit to the Bannu cantonment where 20 security forces personnel were killed in a bombing claimed by the Taliban on Sunday, Chaudhry Nisar said the government would vociferously fight those who resorted to violence on the directions of external forces, said an official statement. The government had given top priority to the fight against militancy and after five and a half months the National Internal Security Policy was been presented to the Cabinet on Monday.

The Minister said this was not a normal war as “we are fighting an unseen and hidden enemy.” He said the enemy operates from the shadows and not only takes refuge behind the sacred name of Islam but also misuses and distorts it. He said the civil and military leadership of the country is on one page in meeting the challenge of militancy and violence.

He also targeted the U.S. for its drone strikes and said, “How can you blame the Pakistani army for the drone attacks? They have been let loose by a foreign power. To say that this attack is a revenge of the drone attack on Wali-ur-Rahman and Hakimullah Mehsud is ridiculous,” he said.

He said Wali-ur-Rahman (the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan commander) during the later part of his life was openly espousing dialogue and the same applied to Hakimullah Mehsud.

Group Sites

Recent Article in South Asia

As Nepal’s Constituent Assembly goes into another deadlock, opposition parties led by the UCPN (Maoist) came out on the streets to protest. Where is this headed, and what role can India play in the peace process? Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai speaks to Diplomatic Editor Suhasini Haidar. »